The entertainment world has been rocked by the sad news of the death of Gorden Kaye, who has passed away at the age of 75.

Gorden Kaye was a prolific actor who became famous for his role in the classic British sitcom ‘Allo ‘Allo! The comedy show was set in a small town in German-occupied France during world war two. ‘Allo ‘Allo! ran for ten years, from December 30, 1982, to December 14, 1992, an impressive run of more than 80 episodes.

The show was immensely popular in its day and has remained a classic of British comedy ever since. Gorden Kaye starred in the show throughout its run. Kaye played the harassed and long-suffering René Artois, proprietor of the Cafe René. Kaye’s character, accompanied by bumbling British spies, French Resistance agents, and hapless SS men, became well-loved by the viewing public in Britain and beyond.

Gorden Kaye was born Gordon Fitzgerald Kaye, on April 7, 1941, in Yorkshire, England. The unusual spelling of his name is said to be due to a typist’s errors at an actor’s union early in his career. Kaye’s father was a lorry driver and an engineer who worked with the Air Raid Precautions organization in Britain during the war. The ARP was tasked with protection measures for civilians during airborne attacks.
Kaye played rugby in his youth, but he gravitated toward the performing arts. He started out as a presenter on local hospital radio, and during this time he interviewed The Beatles for a show. He began to take roles in Radio comedies and dramas, before making his television debut in 1968.

He had a fairly successful career, playing many television small roles over the next ten years. In 1982, he began to work on ‘Allo ‘Allo! with scriptwriters and creators David Croft and Jeremy Lloyd. The sitcom would make his name, and he would go on to appear in every episode of the ten-year run. During this time, he appeared in theatrical versions of ‘Allo ‘Allo!, and in other stage productions.

Friends and colleagues described Gorden Kaye as a warm, funny, caring person. Actors, celebrities, and others took to social media today to pay tribute to a man whose comedy genius brought laughter and joy to the lives of many. He is immortalized by his work, which will undoubtedly continue to make people laugh for many years to come.